1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a fixture device for fixing a display apparatus on the ceiling portion of a vehicle, such as an aircraft, and to a fixture apparatus for fixing a display section to the display apparatus.
2. Background Technology
In recent years, entertainment systems for providing music, video images, etc. to passengers are provided in the cabin of a vehicle, such as a passenger aircraft; for this purpose, a display apparatus for displaying video images are installed. In particular, a display apparatus for the entertainment system of an aircraft is herein taken as an example to describe.
FIGS. 14(a) and (b) are perspective views showing a display apparatus body 4 having a display section 6, such as an LCD display apparatus, installed in the ceiling portion and the lower portion of a baggage rack 5 in the cabin of a passenger aircraft. FIG. 14(a) shows the retracted state (the state of nonuse) of the display section 6 of the display apparatus body 4, and (b) of the same figure shows the state of use. In FIGS. 14(a) and (b), the display apparatus body 4 is arranged at the lower portion of the baggage rack 5 of the passenger aircraft, and comprises the display section 6 and an open/close operation portion 7. The display section 6 has a display member 8, such as an LCD flat panel. The display member 8 is held by the open/close operation portion 7 so as to keep the most suitable angle to a passenger. The opening in the display apparatus body 4 is covered with a cover 9 to prevent dirt and dust from entering during the use of the display section 6.
The display apparatus body 4 is fixed to the inside of a ceiling portion 3 at the lower portion of the baggage rack 5 by a fixture device that will be described below.
FIG. 15 is a sectional view showing the baggage rack 5 and the ceiling portion 3 below the lower portion thereof perpendicular to the direction from the rear to the nose of the aircraft (hereafter referred to as “nose direction”). In FIG. 15, the nose direction is a direction which is perpendicular to the face of the paper. Two rail installation stands 12 and 13 being parallel in the nose direction are fixed on the ceiling face 3A of the ceiling portion 3. A rail 14 is fixed to the lower face of the rail installation stand 12, and a rail 15 is fixed to the lower face of the rail installation stand 13. A left block 16 is attached to the rail 14, and a right block 17 is attached to the rail 15. As shown in FIG. 19, the left end portion 4A of the display apparatus body 4 is supported by the rail 14 (not shown) via the two left blocks 16 installed with a predetermined distance therebetween in the nose direction indicated by an arrow 68. In a similar way, the right end portion 4B of the display apparatus body 4 is supported by the rail 15 (not shown) via the two right blocks 17 installed with a predetermined distance therebetween in the nose direction. In other words, the display apparatus body 4 is installed on the ceiling face 3A via the two left blocks 16 and the two right blocks 17. The fixture device that will be described below comprises the left blocks 16, the right blocks 17 and a fixture block 25 that will be described later.
The display apparatus body 4 is required to be installable and removable on and from the rails 14 and 15 by simple operation so as to be replaced promptly at the time of a breakdown or the like. FIGs. 16(a), (b), and (c) are perspective views showing the conventional left block 16 configured so as to be installable and removable easily. FIGs. 16(a) to (c) show steps of installing the left block 16 on the rail 14 shown partially cut away. In FIG. 16(a), the left block 16 is inserted into the rail 14 from the opening 14A of the rail 4. Next, as shown in FIG. 16(b), a bar wrench 20 having a hexagonal cross-section is inserted into the hexagonal hole in a hexagonal socket head bolt 18 in the left block 16, and turned about 90° in a direction indicated by an arrow 29A as shown in (c) of the same figure. As a result, a nut plate 22 fixed to the tip of the hexagonal socket head bolt 18 is turned about 90°, whereby both the tip portions 22A thereof engage the bent portions 14B of the rail 14. One left block 16 has two hexagonal socket head bolts 18; hence, by turning four hexagonal socket head bolts 18 in total for the two left blocks 16 about 90°, the two left blocks 16 are installed on the rail 14. In this state, the left blocks 16 can be moved along the rail 14.
As shown in FIGS. 17(a) and (b), the fixture block 25 to be connected to the left block 16 is provided on the left end portion 4A of the display apparatus body 4. FIG. 17(a) is a perspective view showing a state before the fixture block 25 is connected to an attachment window 24 formed in the left block 16. The fixture block 25 has an arm 28 rotatably supported by a shaft 27 on a base plate 26. The arm 28 is thinned like the shape of a comb to reduce its weight. A projection plate 29 is provided at the end of the arm 28. The base plate 26 is fixed to the left end portion 4A of the display apparatus body 4 by three sets of bolts and nuts 30. The fixture blocks 25, two in number, as many as the left blocks 16, are fixed to the left end portion 4A. FIG. 17(b) shows a state wherein the projection plate 29 is inserted into the attachment window 24 of the left block 16 as will be described later in detail.
Next, description is made as to the right blocks 17 for supporting the right end portion 4B of the display apparatus body 4 shown in FIG. 15. As shown in FIG. 19, the two right blocks 17 are fixed in advance with the predetermined distance therebetween on the right end portion 4B of the display apparatus body 4.
FIGS. 18(a) to (c) show steps of attaching the right block 17 of the display apparatus body 4 to the right rail 15. Before these steps, at least two workers lift the display apparatus body 4, and insert the projection plate 29 of the arm 28 of the fixture block 25 into the installation window 24 as shown in FIG. 17(a). While one of the workers holds the display apparatus body 4 so that the projection plate 29 does not come out from the installation window 24, the other worker connects the connector (not shown) of a connection cable, which supplies electrical power and signals to the display apparatus body 4, to the display apparatus body 4 by using both hands. Subsequently, the right block 17 fixed to the right end portion 4B of the display apparatus body 4 is inserted into the inside of the rail 15 from the opening 15A of the rail 15 as shown in FIG. 18(a). At the time of the insertion, a triangular guide plate 33 of the right block 17 facilitates the insertion of the right block 17 into the opening 15A. The distance between the left and right rails 14 and 15 is not always constant but varies at various portions of the aircraft body. However, the projection plate 29 of the arm 28 shown in FIG. 18(a) moves in and out from the insertion window 24 depending on the variation, whereby the installation of the right block 17 is done without causing problems in spite of some variations.
Next, as shown in FIG. 18(b), a hexagonal socket head bolt 18 is turned by about 90° by using the wrench 20 in the direction indicated by an arrow 20A as shown in (c) of the same figure. As a result, a nut plate 22 fixed to the tip of the hexagonal socket head bolt 18 is turned about 90°, whereby both the tip portions 22A thereof engage the bent portions 15B of the rail 15. Two nut plates 22 are provided for one right block 17; hence, by turning four hexagonal socket head bolts 18 in total for the two right blocks 17 about 90°, the two right blocks 17 are attached to the rail 15. By turning the four bolts 18 further by a number of turns, the bent portions 15B are held between the tip portions 22A of the nut plates 22 and the right blocks 17, whereby the display apparatus body 4 is firmly fixed to the rail 15.
The right block 17 shown in FIG. 18 will be described further in detail. In the following explanations, the right block 17 is referred to as a fixture device 110.
FIG. 20 is an external view of a conventional fixture device 110. The fixture devices 110 are installed on the display apparatus body 4 as shown in FIG. 21. Next, as shown in FIG. 22, the display apparatus body 4 is fixed to the rails 111 on the body side in the ceiling portion of a vehicle by turning hexagonal socket head bolts 116 by using a bar wrench 112 having a hexagonal cross-section as shown in FIGS. 25(a) to (d). FIG. 23, an exploded view, shows the configurations of the components of the conventional fixture device 110. FIGS. 24(a), (b), (c) and (d), elevation views, and FIGS. 25(a), (b), (c) and (d), perspective view, show the sequence of the installation work.
A nut plate 114 shown in FIG. 23 has an internal thread at its center, and installed between the rib 113x of a height X and the rib 113y of a height Y of a block 125, by using bolts 116 each passing through a washer 117 and a highly flexible coil spring 120. The following relationships are selected among the height X of the rib 113x, the height Y of the rib 113y and the thickness (hereafter simply referred to as the thickness of the rail 111) of the rack portions 111m and 111n of the rail 111 shown in FIG. 24. Namely, the relationships are as follows: the height X ≦ the thickness of the rail 111 and the height X < the height Y.
A nut 121 is engaged with the tip of the bolt 116 and fixed to the bolt 116 with an adhesive. At this time, as shown in FIG. 24(b) and FIG. 25(b), the nut 121 is turned when the bar wrench 112, having a hexagonal cross-section, for example, is inserted into the hexagonal hole in the bolt 116 and raised and turned clockwise. As a result, the nut plate 114 passes the rib 113x (FIG. 23) having the height X of the block 113 and is turned clockwise. It is fixed to the bolt 116 so as to have a height making contact with the rib 113y having the height Y of the block 113, and thereby not turning, if the wrench is turned counterclockwise. The block 113 is connected to the base 115 via a through shaft 123, and the through shaft 123 is fixed by a split pin 124 inserted into the rear (right) end thereof.
In this configuration, the wrench 112 is inserted into the hexagonal hole of the bolt 116 and raised and turned clockwise. At this time, the nut plate 114 passes over the rib having the height X of the block 113, turns clockwise and makes contact with the inner walls 111w (FIG. 24 and FIG. 25) of the rail 111 having a frame shape in cross-section, and then stops. The display apparatus 4 has nut plates at eight positions in total, and all of them are set in this state. However, when the bolts 116 are loosened slightly from its completely tight position, the display apparatus 4 can be moved slightly along the rail 111, whereby positional adjustment is made possible.
By tightening the bolts 116 further as shown in FIG. 24(c) and FIG. 25(c), the conventional fixture device 110 is fixed to the rail 111. By completely fastening the nut plates at all the eight positions in a similar way, the display apparatus 4 can be fixed completely to the rails 111 on the aircraft body in the ceiling portion. When removing the display apparatus 4, the nut plate 114 is released by turning the bolt 116 counterclockwise, thereby releasing the friction force with the rack-shaped portions 111m and 111n of the rail 111. The nut plate 114 is turned counterclockwise depending on the turning of the bolt 116 and makes contact with the higher rib on the upper face of the block 113, that is, the rib 113y having the height Y. In this state, when the bolt 116 is turned counterclockwise further until the nut plate 114 is raised by the bolt 116 to a position making contact with the nut 121, the nut plate 114 is moved beyond the rib 113y and becomes parallel with the opening groove 111g (FIG. 25) of the rail 111. In a similar way, all the nut plates 114 at all the eight positions are turned counterclockwise so that the nut plates 114 become parallel with the opening grooves 111g, whereby the display apparatus 4 can be removed from the rails 111 of the aircraft body in the ceiling portion.
Next, a latch device for fixing the display section 6 having the display member 8 to the display apparatus body 4 in a retracted state will be described. The display section 6 is retracted into the display apparatus body 4 during takeoff and landing. The display apparatus body 4 is provided with the latch devices to prevent the display section 6 from jumping out because of shocks and the like during takeoff and landing.
A conventional latch device will be described referring to FIGS. 14(a) and (b) and FIGS. 26(a) and (b). FIGS. 26(a) and (b) show the latch operation of the conventional latch device. A conventional latch device 230 shown in FIG. 26(a) is disposed on the display apparatus body 4 and engages the display section 6 retracted into the display apparatus body 4, thereby preventing unnecessary opening of the display section 6. FIG. 26(a) shows the state of the engagement, and (b) thereof shows an intermediate state in an opening operation. Furthermore, FIGS. 26(c) and (d) show intermediate states in the retraction.
The operation of the conventional latch device will be described below in accordance with an operation sequence shown in FIGS. 26(a) to (d). FIG. 26(a) shows a state wherein the display section 6 is retracted into the display apparatus body 4, and the engagement protrusion 236 of the rotary shaft 234 of the latch device 230 engages the recessed section 260 formed at the bottom face of the display section 6. The rotary shaft 234 is combined with a rotary plate 232 so as to be rotatable about a shaft 235. The rotary shaft 234 is held by an elastic plate spring 237 that is bent slightly with respect to the rotary plate 232. When the engagement protrusion 236 of the rotary shaft 234 engages the recessed section 260 of the display section 6, a slide shaft 233 is inserted into a hole formed on the side face of the rotary plate. As a result, the rotary plate 232 is prevented from rotating, and the engagement state of the engagement protrusion 236 and the recessed section 260 is maintained. As a result, the display section 6 is prevented from jumping out from the display apparatus body 4 because of shocks and the like.
FIG. 26(b) shows a state wherein the opening operation is performed, that is, the display section 6 is rotated with respect to the display apparatus body 4 and opened. The open/close operation portion 7 (FIG. 14) controls a direct current applied to a plunger 238 by an opening command from a microcomputer provided outside the apparatus so that the opening operation is performed, that is, the display section 6 is rotated and opened. When the direct current flows through the plunger 238, the slide shaft 233 disengages the hole in the rotary plate 232. As a result, the rotary shaft 234 and the rotary plate 232 become integrally rotatable about the shaft 235. Hence, the rotary shaft 234 is rotated by the opening operation of the display section 6, and the engagement projection 236 disengages the recessed section 260.
When the display section 6 no longer contacts the engagement protrusion 236, the rotary shaft 234 and the rotary plate 232 are pressed by a spring 231 and return to a position shown in FIG. 26(a). At this time, no direct current flows through the plunger 238, and the slide shaft 233 is moved to its original position by a spring that is not shown. Therefore, the slide shaft 233 is inserted into the hole formed on the side face of the returned rotary plate 232 to obtain engagement of the display section 6 with the engagement protrusion 236 again. When the slide shaft 233 is inserted into the hole of the rotary plate 232 as described above, the engagement protrusion 236 of the rotary shaft 234 is held by the plate spring 237 so as to be rotatable about 40 degrees counterclockwise.
As described above, in the retraction state of the display section 6, the slide shaft 233 is inserted into the hole in the rotary plate 232. For this reason, the engagement protrusion 236 of the rotary shaft 234 does not rotate clockwise in FIG. 26(a). Incidentally, in this retraction state, the engagement protrusion 236 is rotatable counterclockwise in FIG. 26(a), but does not rotate further since the display apparatus body 4 is disposed above the display section 6.
FIGS. 26(c) and (d) show the state of retracting the display section 6. At this time, the engagement protrusion 236 of the rotary shaft 234 makes contact with the display section 6 and rotates counterclockwise. Then, when the engagement protrusion 236 engages the recessed section 260 of the display section 6, the engagement protrusion 236 is returned to its original position by the plate spring 237, and the display position 6 is securely retracted and held in the display apparatus body 4.
The conventional fixture device has the following problems. When installing the display apparatus body 4 on the left and right rails 14 and 15, at least two workers are required. Hence, one problem of the conventional fixture device is that the labor cost for the installation is high.
The present invention is intended to provide a fixture device for a display apparatus body, capable of being installed by one worker.
Furthermore, when an attempt is made to place the nut plate 114 on the rack-shaped portions 111m and 111n by inserting the wrench 112 into the hole in the bolt 116 and by raising and turning the wrench clockwise in this kind of conventional fixture device, if the nut plate 114 is not sufficiently raised, the nut plate 114 will not clear the rib 113x, having the height X, of the block 113. When the bolts are tightened in this state wherein the nut plate is present between the rib 113x and the rib 113y of the block 113, having the height X and the height Y, respectively, as shown in FIG. 24(d) (when the bolts are tightened at improper positions), both ends of the nut plate 114 are not placed properly on the rack-shaped portions 111m and 111n of the rail 111. Hence, even when tightened, the nut plate 114 is only engaged with the upper face of the block 113 as shown at the upper right in FIG. 25(d) and FIG. 24(d). If both the nut plates 114 are in this state, the fixture device 110 disengages from the rail 111. However, at this time, the bolts 116 are completely tightened and secured, just as in the case shown in FIG. 24(c) wherein the bolts are tightened at proper positions.
Although one fixture device has two nut plates 114, even if both of the bolts 116 are tightened firmly, this state is not reliable. This is because it is impossible to determine whether both of the nut plates 114 are installed at their proper positions because the state of the installation is unable to be seen from the outside. If all of the nut plates 114 are not placed on the rack-shaped positions 111m and 111n at the proper positions, proper strength cannot be obtained. Hence, if vibrations are encountered for an extended time, an improperly installed apparatus, such as a display apparatus, could potentially fall from the fixture device and land on a passenger seat below, presenting a very dangerous situation.
The present invention intends to solve the above-mentioned problem by detecting a wrong installation in the case that the nut plates are tightened at the improper positions.
Furthermore, in the conventional latch device, the rotary shaft 234 is rotated so that the engagement protrusion 236 engages the recessed section 260 in the display section 6. Therefore, it is required that the size of the recessed section 260 in the display section 6 is made larger than the shape of the engagement protrusion 236 so as to give a clearance therebetween. As a result, a problem of the conventional latch device is that the retracted display section 6 rattles depending on the clearance when it receives shocks and the like. Furthermore, another problem of the apparatus is that, since the drive shaft of the plunger 238 is linearly connected to the slide shaft 233 in the drive direction thereof, the apparatus is relatively large. Still further, the conventional latch device comprises many components having complicated shapes, which increase the cost of production and cause the problem of raising the cost of the apparatus.
The present invention is intended to provide a latch device comprising a reduced number of components having simple shapes, wherein the latch devices provided for a display section and a display apparatus body are fitted securely without wobble in the retracted state, and the display apparatus provided with the latch devices can be made compact.